Samsung marches closer to smart watch

Samsung Electronics has made a trademark filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a smart phone device, called Galaxy Gear.

According to media reports, the trademark filing was made on July 29.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the trademark is for “wearable digital electronic devices in the form of a wristwatch, wrist band or bangle capable of providing access to the Internet and for sending and receiving phone calls, electronic mails and messages.”

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Separately, in late May, Samsung registered with the Korean Intellectual Property Office for a patent for a couple of specific design elements of a phone that can be wrapped around a person’s wrist.

Canalys estimated that more than 330,000 smartwatches were shipped in 2012, led by Sony and Motorola. The increase in shipments for 2013 is set to be significant, with the research company stating that more than 500,000 units will be shipped this year. This result means that the 2014 expectation of shipments exceeding 5,000,000 will be a 900% increase over forecasted shipments for 2013. In 2013, Pebble Technology joined Sony as a smartwatch market leader.

The explosion in smart phones is expected by the end of next year, with Canalys forecasting that smart watches will grow tenfold as a new generation of devices from the likes of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and others are launched.